I suspect Obama's policies are genuinely seen to have the potential to ruin the United States as Conservatives have known it. That Conservatives have the strong sense that it makes no difference what happens, that the US is doomed should Obama be successful. That patriotism means using any means necessary to preserve the status quo. And while that's a sincerely held belief, I think that dodges what should be the question.

I think the highest and best form of government is that which provides it's citizens with opportunity. The opportunity to work, to own a house, to raise one's family into a society which will provide the chance for an education, rewarding job, health care, stability. Not everyone can be a professional athlete

With the steady erosion of the middle class, those opportunities are becoming rarer and rarer. Many, many people can't get jobs which allow them to raise children, provide health care, buy a house, maintain a reasonable standard of living. The causes are various and numerous, and include the destruction of Unions and the demise of Mom-and-Pop businesses.

It seems that if a society cannot provide the opportunity for people to earn such things as health insurance and retirement benefits it must provide those things directly. And they will have to come at the expense of those for whom the society does provide opportunities.

I think Conservatives are correct in believing that society is changing and I don't blame them for fearing that. The issue is what change is coming and how to manage it. To avoid radical change more of a middle-class will have to be created. If that doesn't happen, a socialist regime will have to be instituted. But people need the basics, one way or the other.

And if neither of those happen, if the rich keep getting richer, the poor poorer and the prison populations keep expanding, then there will be a revolution. And that won't be pretty for anyone. Revolutions are for future generations, the present generations suffer grievously.

Arf